The field of the present invention is heat exchanger construction and systems for vehicles.
Heat exchangers have long been employed in vehicles for both cooling of the engine, commonly referred to as radiators, and for heating the passenger compartment, commonly referred to as heater cores. In both systems, tubes are provided for the engine coolant liquid. The tubes are positioned in an open matrix such that air can be forced or naturally flow past the tubes for heat exchange. Fins associated with the tubes, air flow baffles and the like are used to enhance the heat transfer efficiency between the liquid coolant and the air.
Vehicle efficiency has become of significant interest in the light of competition and regulation. The vehicle coolant heat exchange systems impact significantly on that efficiency. The efficiency of both the radiator and the heater core contribute inversely to weight, size, vehicle frontal area and engine temperature stability. Consequently, improving the efficiency of these devices can significantly impact on the overall vehicle efficiency.